Prop spray

Is there a good way to stop water from being sucked into the prop? My quasi-modified-Sportster 90/120 uses a 16-8 prop which is around 5" above the water but it will always pull some water and that really slows it down.

Would adding strakes or deflector strips to the inside edges of the floats do any good? Or is it that the prop is sucking water directly from the surface of the lake...

I will be going to a shorter prop this weekend, maybe a 15-10 or 14-10 if I can find such.

I cut my spray rails out of a sheet of ABS. The float plans (Great Planes) included a pattern. I just stick them on the floats, which are finished with monokote, with double-side servo/foam tape. Works great and I have only had to replace tape twice in about 6 years.

Wish I could take credit, but it was right off the Great Planes instrucitons. They call them splash strips in the instructions and spray rails in the drawing, here are pages from the instructions that shows what they suggest and the patterns.